HOW TO START BASE COUNCILS (GROUPS)

Introduction

A base council is the smallest unit of the HP organizational scheme. That is, it is the smallest unit as regards the scope of action. This scope is basically given by the issues of the neighborhood (or a part of it), a college or a working place. In colleges, the base councils (BCs) will compose the Humanist student unions (or lines). In working places (offices, factories, etc.), the BCs will compose the Humanist trade (or labor) unions.

Basically, the BCs are teams. Their basic aim is to diffuse the HP proposals and stands, to increase the number of affiliates, supporters and BCs, in sum, to make the HP grow more influential wherever the BCs operate.

During election times, the BCs - coordinated by higher HP councils - carry out the election campaign and, if the HP candidate wins in a particular constituency, its BCs support the HP government action with constructive work based on mobilization and propaganda.

Defined as a team, the BCs are much more than just a group of affiliates or a group of affiliates following a leader. The very efficiency, permanence and regularity of the BCs action is based on their assignment of specific different functions to each and every one of their members. There may be permanent roles (secretariats) or occasional ones (according to the type of action). But, at any given moment, any member has a particular function to fulfill, with its defined targets and deadlines.

There are as many permanent functions as needs of the BCs, i.e., there is need for coordination of action (General Secretary), growth in terms of members and generation of new BCs (Organization Secretary), presence in social and political affairs (Political Action Secretary), diffusion of stands and actions (Diffusion Secretary), internal contacts and information (Administration Secretary), fund-raising (Finance Secretary), contacts with other organizations (Relations Secretary), social work (Social Affairs Secretary), permits, formalities, etc. (Legal Affairs Secretary), printings, sales and subscriptions to The Humanist Voice  (Publication Secretary), and so on and so forth, according to the needs of the BC.

When functions are not assigned, the BCs activity becomes inorganic. Instead of developing simultaneous activities, which will make the BCs stronger, actions are sequential (only one thing can be done at a time). This makes developments too slow. Also, the General Secretary of the BC tends to be burdened with the many tasks, resulting in inefficiency, postponements, delays, etc. The members who remain idle get bored, discouraged etc. Since they don't participate, they don't feel they belong to BC/HP and, of course, they don't get a proper training in organizing actions. Thus, from the very beginning people should be invited to BCs with a clear warning that has to be fulfilled: anyone joins the BCs not as passive spectators, but with a clear commitment towards taking responsibilities and actions - whatever the initial degree. The BCs are not social clubs or similar things.

Thus, unless and until a BC is formed with working functions (secretariats), its efficiency and permanence cannot be taken for granted. That is, the BC (or most of its members) may disappear at any time.

Of course, there are actions which engage all the BC members equally, like certain campaigns, operations, etc. That is, in a given moment, they may all have to distribute leaflets, get signatures or donations, sell The Humanist, etc. But, apart from this, there are permanent functions that each one develop. Anyway, even for the above mentioned campaigns, operations, etc., there are always certain specific preparations and tasks which can be distributed.

So, whoever starts a BC has to put particular care in structuring his new BC internally by distributing functions. This is as equally important as deciding which action or issue the BC will work for.

Then, a certain degree of discipline should guarantee that functions are fulfilled, targets are achieved and deadlines are met. This discipline means personal accountability, business-like working meetings with a down-to-the-point no-nonsense atmosphere. Long discussions should be avoided, in particular, those which are beside the point, inconducive and discouraging. Short times, practicality and efficiency should be the thumb rule.

A detailed program of concrete activities to carry out in the next 1-2 weeks should never be absent or unknown to the BC. This includes targets and deadlines. Finally, the activity and issues that the BCs may take will be provided either by the higher councils or by proposals brought by their members, opinion polls, requests from neighbors, etc.

Therefore, these are the basic aspects of any successful BC: functions, style, program and action.

Now, let's review some of the possible ways of starting a BC.

1. STARTING FROM ONE CONTACT PERSON

Somebody gets interested in the HP through our diffusion. That is, we make a person interested in the HP through a diffusion operation somewhere in the city, or through personal acquaintance while traveling together, or at the working place or at college, etc. This person always has some friends, relatives, neighbors, work companions, colleagues or other acquaintances. And this person always has a place or neighborhood where he spends most of his daily time.

Now, since this person wants to participate in the HP activities, we are not going to ask him to do it in places which are faraway, which demand traveling outside his daily routes. Also, we are not going to ask him to diffuse the HP among people who are alien to his habitual circles. All this poses difficulties which discourage most of the would-be activists and decrease the efficiency of our actions.

We ask this person to arrange for a meeting with some of his acquaintances in the neighborhood, college or working place where he develops his activities or lives. He does not have to be a speaker, since we are going to talk to these acquaintances. His only task is to call them for a meeting supported by his personal relationship with them and, perhaps, some leaflets we may provide him with.

At the appointed date, time and place, an informative meeting takes place. Who conducts the meeting? Neither the newcomer who gathered the people nor, perhaps, the HP member who contacted him. The meeting should be conducted by someone who can manage it. For instance, the General Secretary or the Organization Secretary of any BC who are, by virtue of their function, interested in and qualified to start new BCs. We should not entrust this introductory meeting to the newcomer since, evidently, he lacks all the necessary requirements of experience, knowledge, confidence, enthusiasm, etc. To do otherwise is a wild shot that will, perhaps, fail.

The informative or introductory meeting will have four main parts whose order may be adapted to circumstances:

a)Main ideas about the HP ideology and organization. This is according to people, but it should never be excessive. On the contrary, it should be simple brief and appealing. By ideology it is meant our main proposals tailored for the people we address. The HP organization we explain is that of the BCs (secretariats, functions, way of working, etc.).

b)Opinion poll among the present regarding the main problems, needs and aspirations of the neighborhood, college or working place. This is oriented towards identifying the issues on which the would-be BC will start working. Generally, new BCs are not supposed to discuss outside their real and immediate scope of action.

c)On the basis of a certain issue to be taken, or just without any immediate basis, everyone of those who are ready to form the BC takes - or is given - a secretariat, a function or a task to perform. Nobody should be left without something concrete to do, even if it is just an excuse that we invent for the sole purpose of participation, for involving each and every one.

d)Program of activities. As per the above mentioned guidelines. Everybody should know what the new BC and every member will do in the next 7 to 14 days. So, these are the main things to discuss in the introductory meetings: generalities about the HP, actions the BC may take, distribution of functions and program of activities. Of course, an appointment is made for the next BC meeting and members are invited to bring along their friends, etc.

2. STARTING WITH A CAMPAIGN

First, we identify which is the issue that may appeal to most people of the neighborhood, college, etc. most. Then, we devise some campaign which, if people support it, will ultimately solve some problem, provide for some need or satisfy some aspiration of those people.

Whatever campaign we take and implementation we make, it should always foresee the active participation of the beneficiaries, the people. Because, apart from achieving some concrete result, the campaign is also a means for involving people in the activities under the banner of the HP and, ultimately, leading to the formation of a new BC.

Thus, the first step of any campaign is to search for active support from people. In the process of getting volunteers and conducting the campaign, we create opportunities for clarifying about the HP, calling the volunteers and other people for personal and group meetings where the results of the campaign are reported, etc. In sum, mobilizing and clarifying volunteers on an issue. In this process, functions are distributed, friendships are established, the HP image is projected, etc. Finally, as the outcome of all this, a permanent BC should be formed in order to continue dealing with the same or following issues.

This way of starting a BC may preferably be carried out by a small team of our HP members. Anyway, even one member - if he has enough initiative - may start a campaign on any issue, drawing support from volunteers.

3. STARTING WITH AN OPINION POLL

The opinion poll may be conducted on the basis of a specific issue or just without one. A specific issue may be regarding a particular problem, need or aspiration affecting the lives of that neighborhood, college, etc. In turn, we may ask from the people specific questions that we may formulate or just go and take notes of anything they want to express on the issue.

If we go for the opinion poll without any specific issue, we may either cover a whole spectrum of issue with pre-formulated questions or we may again go with a blank piece of paper, to take notes on everything people want to express as a need, problem, etc.

It will always be good to manifest in advance that the HP wants to work on whatever proposals or complaints people have. They will also provide the basis for asking support, for inviting them to an informative meeting, etc.

Out of all the contacts made (on the road or house-to-house), we should have a good number of people who promised to come for an informative meeting and, perhaps, some others who will help us gather opinions from their neighbors, etc.

4. STARTING WITH AN OPERATION / CAMPAIGN

By "operation" we mean any action in a public and crowded place which attracts the attention of passers-by, and gives us the opportunity to go towards them and introduce the HP, etc. This may take the form of carrying placards and banners, distributing leaflets, gathering signatures or polling the opinion on an issue, selling The Humanist Voice, chanting slogans or making brief speeches, affiliating, etc.

This just gives us the chance to get in touch with people, make them interested in the HP or HP issue, and call them for an informative meeting that may (preferably) take place immediately. This informative meeting may also take place as soon as there are 5-6 people interested, so there are no delays.

May be a BC is not started immediately in the same place, as a result of the operation. But, certainly, it will provide many interested people who are the seeds of those BCs to be formed soon.

5. STARTING FROM ANY CONFLICTIVE ISSUE

The mass media and public rumors provide us with plenty of news regarding conflicts, agitations, demands, scandals, etc. They take place in neighborhoods, in institutions, colleges, in working places, etc. Generally, in those cases, some people are victims of some type of violence, discrimination, etc, and they struggle for demands, etc. Whenever we detect any of such incidents, even without being personally involved or having any acquaintance among those affected by the issue, we may approach those who are demanding something legitimate by non-violent means. We approach them in the name of a certain BC of the HP and ask them in which way can we help their cause. That is, what can we do for them.

Generally, they need things such as: propagandas for their demands and issue, financial support, legal advice, etc. Of course, since we can hardly provide these by ourselves, we will act as middlemen to get what they need. It means that we may contact newspapers on their behalf, raise donations on their behalf, contact lawyers for legal advice, paint walls, distribute leaflets, etc.

In the process, we generate sympathy for the HP, we make personal contacts, etc. and we finally invite some of them (or others, i.e., they lawyer, the donors, the journalists) to form a permanent BC (or committee) to continue working for the same or similar issues (or the general situation that brings about such incidents).

6. STARTING FROM SOMETHING MORE THAN A MEETING

This may take the form of a talk or debate on any hot/topical issue for that particular neighborhood or college where we want to start a BC. It may also be any appealing general subject of their interest.

This is held indoors or outdoors. No need to have a large attendance. The program may be a combination of brief introductory speeches, a debate on the issue, an exhortation towards commitment and action, raising of commitments for action, and formation (on the spot) of a new BC. The debate enables participation and initial involvement, breaking the ice between people and us. there should be a moderator who will always avoid excesses and deviations, drive points and lead towards our aims.

There should be a clear moment when words are enough and there should be an emotional appeal towards commitment and action, differentiating those who went to join us from the rest - who can quietly go back home.

Some suggestions of talks/debates are: national integration, rising communalism, law of political accountability, law of political parties, and any local issue. Once we have a place for this meeting, the convocation can be carried out half an hour before starting, distributing leaflets on the same road or nearby. It is important to distribute roles and functions (as a team) for the meeting.

The above mentioned are some suggestions that may be taken (and implemented) separately or in combination. Concrete actual implementation is left to our creativity.

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